Scraping and polishing apparatus



A118 20, 1963 o. scHwERTL 3,100,907

SCRAPING AND POLISHING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 26. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Allg 20, 1963 o. scHwERTL 3,100,907

SCRAPING AND POLISHING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 26, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nin:

@raised itates r'he present invention relates to a scraping and polis ing apparatus, and more particularly to lan Iapparatus `of this type which is particularly suited for removing old paint or wallpaper from large surfaces, such as doors, or walls.

A considerable amount of dust develops in this type of work, and when the surfaces are kept moist, the floor is soiled. Tfurtihermore, the application of moisture results in a loss `of time, since a new coat of paint, or a new wallpaper, can only be applied after drying of the treated surface.

lt is the object of the present invention to overcome these disadvantages, and to provide a scraping and polishing apparatus by which the developed dust is prevented from rbeing dispersed, and which :permits a rapid and thorough scraping and polishing of surfaces.

A related object of the present invention is to provide a scraping and polishing apparatus for the removal of `old paint and of old wall paper from walls and doors in `a particularly eicient manner.

With these Iobjects in View, a scraping and polishing apparatus according to the present invention is preferably connected to a stationary container (not shown) provided with an exhauster means driven by an electric motor and containing filter means, and comprises a manually guided and operated device which includes a rotary member, such as a brush, driven by an electric motor. A suction hose connects the rotary brush with the interior of the stationary container so that all developed dust is sucked into the containerfrom which it can be removed in the manner known from vacuum cleaners.

yln accordance with the present invention, resiliently yieldable covering means are mounted on the supporting means of the rotary brush, and ihave parts abutting the surface which is engaged and operated upon by a cylindrical face portion of the peripheral surface of the brush. The abutting parts of the positioning means are substantially llocated ia a tangential plane on the operative `cylindrical face portion fof the brush.

When manual pressure is exerted against the supporting means of the brush, the covering means yield, so that the desired pressure is produced between the brush face and lthe treated surface.

The resiliently yieldable covering means permit a turning of the supporting means about the axis of the brush, :and also the application of greater pressure by one end of the brush than by the other end.

When the motors of the exhauster and of the brush `55 are simultaneously operated, the brush removes the told paint or wallpaper in small particles, and may be used for polishing the surface after removal of the old layer. The removed particles and the developed vdust are retained by the filters in the container.

The operation of the apparatus of the present invention is substantially ifaster than -all known methods of removing surface layers from walls `and doors, and does not develop any dust or dirt. The motor which drives the brush is advantageously located within the .brush and has a rotor surrounding the stator, and connected to the interior of a `hollow drum-shaped brush. However, if the brush is to be used for work producing greater resistance, or if a grinding or polishing drum is used instead of the brush, the motor is connected by a reduction gear to the shaft of the rotary brush, and is mounted on the supporting means ofthe brush adjacent the same.

3,100,907 Patented Aug. 20, 1963 ffice 5 for the cable, and a mechanical coupling for the suction hose for preferably secured to each :other so that the Ihose and the cable can be simultaneously electrically connected to corresponding couplings on the exhauster unit.

It is advantageous to provide dual-control switches on both units so that both motors 'can be simultaneously switched on and 'olf by each of the switches.

The manually controlled unit is particularly easily roperated when the suction hose and the cable have a common connecting part which is turnably mounted on the housing of the manually controlled unit.

The supporting means of the manually controlled unit support the rotary brush member in such a manner that it can be easily exchanged, which is not only advantageous when a worn brush is to ibe replaced, but also permits the use of brushes of different hardness and having dilferent bristles, and the replacement of the brush by a grinding wheel or similar rotary tool as required by the `operation which is to be performed.

ln one embodiment of the invention, the rotary brush is mounted on resiliently yieldable lateral members which can be adjusted in the housing so that the rotary brush projects more or less from the housing. Rollers are adjustably mounted on the housing and assure that fa -uniform pressure exists between all parts of the brush and the treated surface.

treated near corners, while rollers at the outer ends of the brush would interfere with this type of work.

The resiliently yieldable lateral members preferably have arcuate or cylindrical Wall portions and are turnable .about lthe shaft of the rotary brush against the action of a spring which abuts the supporting housing. The

lateral members cover the ends of the brush and ret-ain dust and dirt, even if the apparatus is tilted to the treated surface.

Furthermore, the lateral members leave only small inlet openings for the air at the end faces of the rotary brush `so that la strong air current rapidly ows into the interior of the housing and prevents dust and dirt from leaving the housing through the inlet openings. A spring means acts on the two lateral members to urge the same against the treated surface.

lt is advantageous to exactly adjust the angle which is deiined by the opposite Walls of the tiltable lateral members. In one embodiment of the invention, two walls of the lateral members are connected by a threaded adjusting spindle by which the relative position of the two lateral walls can be exactly adjusted. In this manner, the positioning rollers are in `a determined position to the treated surface, and not only position the operative face portion of the brush relative to the treated surface, but also exactly determine the height of the rotary member. Such exact adjustments permit a very accurate finishing of the treated surface, and the accuracy can be further improved by providing the adjusting means with a dial permitting to select a desired kadjusted position of the positioning rollers.

The novel features which are considered as characteristie for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connect-ion with the accom-` panying drawings, in which:

FIG. `1 is a plan View of a manually controlled unit of the apparatus; Y

FIG. 2 is a side view of the manually controlled unit;

FIG. 3 is a iront view, partly in section, of the unit shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a manually controlled unit according to another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary schematic cross-sectional View illustrating a detail of the adjusting means provided in the embodiment of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings, an electric cable 6 and a suction hose S carrying the cable 16 thereon are connected by corresponding electric coupling means 9 and mechanical coupling means 12a-ndi13 to supporting means including a housing =14 of a manually controlled unit. A drive means such as an electric motor 16 is located in the housing 14, as will be explained hereinafter in greater detail, and is connected to cable l6. A switch 111 is mounted on housing 14 and connected in such a manner that the motor 16 and an nnillustrated exhauster unit attached to hose 5 can be switched on .and switched ofi` by operation of switch 11. FIG. 2 shows a mechanical tubular coupling means 12 of the suction hose for connection to the exhauster unit, and the electric coupling means of the cable 6 in disconnected position.

The coupling part 13 is mounted on the supporting housing 14 for turning movement so that the suction hose can .be turned into angularly displaced positions so that the control of the unit by the operator is' substantially facilitated.

The housing 14 supports the shaft 15 of the stator of the electric motor 116 whose rotor surrounds the stator and is secured to the interior of a hollow tubular cylindrical brush member 17, as best seen'in FIGS. 2 and 3. Limiting, means are provided and in this embodiment include a pair of rollers 18 as well as adjusting means therefor. The rollers 18 are arranged on opposite ends of the rotary brush member y17 and are mounted Ion slotted rods or stop members 20, through which screws 19 pass into corresponding threaded bores in the side walls of the housing 14. Members 20 and 18 can be raised and lowered so that the periphenies of rollers 18 are located in the same plane as the periphery of the notary brush 17. Rollers 18 determine the pressure between the surface o-f the rotary brush and the treated surface 110. A desired` pressure is determined by adjusting the position of rollers 18` which limit the movement of member 17 toward the oor when rollers 18 abut the floor surface.

The part of the rotary brush 17, which is not covered by the housing .14,- is covered by covering means, e.g., a pair of lateral members-21 which are mounted on shaft I15 for turning movement. A spring means 22 is also mounted on shaft `15V and acts on the lateral members to urge the same out of the housing. Positioning rollers 23 are turnably mounted at the lower parts of the lateral members 21 which reduce friction between the lateral members 21 and the treated surface. The rollers Z3 further serve as spacing means so as to prevent the bottom edges of the covering members 21 from moving into contact with each other the apparatus is lifted entirely off the surface 10. When the apparatus is placed on the surface again after having been lifted therefrom, the rollers 23` acting as spacing means will permit the covering members 211 to move apart so that the brush will again engage the surface to be treated. In any operating position, however, the bottom edges of the covering members will be located adjacent to the surface 10, regardless of the selected adjustment of the limiting nollers 18. Resilient sea-ling lips 24 extend between coaxial rollers and s'lidingly engage the treated surface so that the brush is enveloped and `dust cannot be dispersed to the outside of the unit. The housing 1-4 may assume a position oblique to the treated surface 25, while the lateral members 21 turn into and out of the housing, respectively, while still covering the rotary brush member 17.

Since the brush 17 can be diiferently positioned with respect to the treated surface 2S, it is possible to produce on particular portions of a treated surface a greater pressure by inclining shaft 15 to the axis of rollers 18. In this manner, undesired projections on the treated surface 10 can be more rapidly removed.

In the embodiment of FIG. `4, the part of the cylindrical brush 17 which projects irom the housing 14 is covered by a pair of covering and positioning members 21 as described kwith reference to FIGS. 2 to 3. 'I'he shaft of the brush is mounted in the lateral members 2d, and is driven through a reduction gear 35 from an electric motor 33 which has a shaft 34. Spacing means or rollers 23 are mounted on lateral members 21 and abut the treated surface 25 so that members 21 move into and out of the housing when the same is tilted. rI'he curved arcuate lateral -walls of members 21 are connected by spindles 37 so that the relative positions of the lateral members 21 can be adjusted. Spindles 37 are secured at one end by members -38 to the respective lateral member 21, while the threaded part 39 of the spindle cooperates with the other lateral member `21 and with a nut 4o turnably mounted lon the thread of the spindle. A pointer 41 indicates the position of nut 40 on a dial 4Z, so that the adjusted positions of lateral member 2l. can be repeatedly adjusted to the same position. By turning of the adjusting means 40, the lateral members 21 are turned about shaft 36 against Vthe action of the spring 2.2, so that the lower edges of the lateral members 21 which carry the positioning rollers 23 approach leach other whereby the rollers 23 approach or move away from the shaft 36 of thebrush so that the pressure of the brush on the treated surface can be determined since the movement of the housing and of the rotary member toward the treated surface is limited. In this'embodiment, the limiting means include the spindles 37 and their nuts 4d.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of scraping and polishing arrangements differing from the types described above. Y

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a scraping and polishing apparatus comprising a rotary brush and yieldable covering and positioning means, it is not intended to Ibe limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any Way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the `foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that `others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic for specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within thel meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and (desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: Y

l. A surface treating apparatus comprising, in combination, supporting means adapted for manual guidance .over a surface to be treated and including a housing; drive amasar contact with each other when said surface treating apparatus is lifted entirely otf the surface to be treated, said spacing means being adapted to engage the surface to be treated and space the taxis of said rotary member therefrom at a distance corresponding in a limited range to the angular position of said pair of piuotally mounted covering means; and adjustable limiting means between said pair of covering means tor limiting pivotal movement thereof in said range and determining the extent of contact of said face portion of said rotary member with said surface to be treated, lsaid bottom edges of said covering means being located in any position of said limiting means adjacent to the surface to be treated.

2. A floor treating apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said limiting means include a pair of stop members mounted on said housing and being adjustable on the same in vertical direction, said stop members having roller means adapted to abut the surface for limiting movement of said housing and said rotary member toward the same.

3. A surface treating apparatus, comprising, in combination, supporting means adapted for manual guidance over `a surface to be treated and including a housing; drive means mounted on said supporting means; a rotary member operatively connected to said drive means to be rotated by the same and 'being mounted on said housing, said rotary member having a face portion adapted to treat a surface; a pair of covering and positioning members on said housing for turning movement relative to each other, said icovering and positioning members laterally covering said rotary member and being open in the region of said face portion, said covering and positioning members including parts adapted to abut the surface and spacing said face portion from the same, said covering `and positioning members being mounted for `angular movement into and out of said housing for varying the position of said rotary member relative to the surface so that said rotary member is covered in diiferent positions of said housing land of said rotary member in which positions said face portion abuts the surface at different pressures; and limiting means for limiting movement of said covering and positioning members into said housing `and thereby movement of said housing and said rotary member toward the surface, said limiting means including a spindle means passing through said covering and positioning members and adjusting means for adjusting the length of said spindle means and for thereby limiting the angular movement of said covering and positioning members.

4. An apparat-us as set forth in claim 3, wherein the walls of said cover-ing and positioning members are arcuate, said spindle means being threaded and extending across the ends of said rotary member, and wherein said adjusting means include mounting means for iixedly att-aohing one end of said spindle means to one of said arcuate Walls `and `adjusting nut means for determining the position of other arcuate wall relative to the other end of said spindle means.

ber operatively connected to said drive means to be rotated by the same and including a shaft mounted on said housing, said rotary member having a face portion adapted to treat a surface; a pair of covering `and positioning members mounted on said shaft for turning movement relative to each other, said covering `and positioning members laterally covering said rotary member and being open in the region of said face portion, said covering and positioning members including parts adapted to abut the surface and spacing said `face portion from the same, said covering iand positioning members being mounted for angular movement into and out of said housing `for varying th-e position of said rotary member relative to the surface so that said rotary member is covered in different positions of said housing and of said rotary member in which positions said face portion abuts the surface at different pressures; 'and limiting means for limiting movement of said covering and positioning members into said housing and thereby movement of said housing land said rotary member toward the surface, said limiting means including a spindle means passing through said covering and positioning members and adjusting means for adjusting the length of said spindle means and for thereby limiting the angular movement of said covering and positioning members.

7. A floor treating `apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein each of said covering and positioning members is U-sh=aped and includes a yoke portion and two sectorshaped legs mounted on said'shaft; wherein said parts are rollers for supporting the respective covering and positioning member on the surface; wherein said spindle means pass through said yoke portions; `and wherein said adjusting means include a lmanually t-urnabie nut means on said spindle means, and means for indicating the `angular positions of said nut means yand thereby theposition of said rotary member relative to the surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 993,202 Russell et ral. May 23, 1911 1,208,165 Kent Dec. l2, 1916 `1,811,350 Curry June 23, 1931 1,912,386 Replogle June 6, 1933 :1,991,794 Cutright Feb. 19, 1935 v2,102,645 Replogle a Dec. 2l, 1937 2,184,401 Sellers Dec. 26, 1939 2,348,861 Smellie May 16, 1944 2,902,921 Brodrick Sept. 8, y1959 

1. A SURFACE TREATING APPARATUS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, SUPPORTING MEANS ADAPTED FOR MANUAL GUIDANCE OVER A SURFACE TO BE TREATED AND INCLUDING A HOUSING; DRIVE MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORTING MEANS; A ROTARY MEMBER OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVE MEANS TO BE ROTATED BY THE SAME AND BEING MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING, SAID ROTARY MEMBER HAVING A FACE PORTION ADAPTED TO TREAT A SURFACE; A PAIR OF COVERING MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORTING MEANS AND LOCATED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID ROTARY MEMBER, SAID PAIR OF COVERING MEANS HAVING BOTTOM EDGES; SPACING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID PAIR OF COVERING MEANS SO AS TO PREVENT SAID BOTTOM EDGES OF SAID COVERING MEANS FROM MOVING INTO CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER WHEN SAID SURFACE TREATING AP- 